Senate Bill No. introduced by E. Boldman aims to revise laws concerning residential rental application fees in Montana. The bill mandates that landlords or managers who charge an application fee must reimburse the fee within 20 days if the applicant does not enter into a rental agreement. It allows landlords to deduct specific out-of-pocket costs from the refund, provided they give written notice of these costs at the time of fee collection. Additionally, landlords can waive the application fee if they accept a valid credit or criminal background check performed within the last six months.

The bill also establishes that if an application fee is wrongfully withheld, the applicant can pursue a civil action for damages equal to the amount wrongfully retained, with the possibility of recovering attorney fees. Definitions for "application fee" and "cost" are provided, clarifying the scope of the bill. The act is set to take effect upon passage and will apply to application fees collected after the effective date.